Who would have thought that resistance bands can help you build breastplate-like pecs?
By Matt Kollat published 3 December 21
I'm always on the lookout for new exercises to improve my lifting technique. It's not like I'm desperate to gain muscle mass, but admittedly, doing the same workout over and over again can make every workout routine a bit boring after a while. This is why I was so excited to discover the Nilsson press, a bench press alternative that activates the pecs more efficiently than the standard variety.
The bench press is one of the best compound exercises to build muscle definition and strength. It's part of a group of exercises called the Big Three Lifts; this also includes the deadlift and weighted squat. Add the bent-over row and the overhead press to the mix, and you get the best full-body workout known to man.
But back to the Nilsson press. I was idly browsing T-Nation when I came across this workout, and it piqued my interest straight away. As explained in the article, you perform the Nilsson press by hooking a couple of resistance bands on a barbell loaded with a couple of small weight plates.
Then, you loop your arms in the bands on each side and perform the exercise. By having the resistance bands pulling against your elbows, you naturally try and draw them, reducing the pressure on the shoulders. Funnily enough, this is how you are supposed to perform bench presses anyway, but most people let their elbows flare out; not great for shoulder health.
Needless to say, my gut reaction was to start doing Nilsson presses straight away but I had to wait until I finished work first. Setting up the exercise was a bit fiddly as I have longer resistance bands at home so I had to loop them around the bar a couple of times to find the right length.
Working out with lighter weights always gives me the impression that I won't be pushing my limits hard enough but the Nilsson press yet again proved to me that I should be doing more sessions with lighter weights. The extra pull from the resistance bands made me perform the bench press in a way that really made my pecs burn by the end of the sets.
The caveat of the Nilsson press is that you need proper home gym equipment to be able to do it. You can loop the bands around dumbells or even adjustable dumbbells. You will also need a sturdy weight bench to rack the barbell onto in between sets.
Other than that, there is no reason why you shouldn't give the Nilsson press a go. It provides a different stimulus to your pecs than your standard barbell bench press (like how the sumo deadlift will activate different muscles to traditional deadlifts), essential for keeping on gaining muscle in the long term.
Matt is a fitness fanatic (a.k.a. fitness and nutrition writer) who's been rambling on about all things health and fitness for over two years now here at T3. His achievements include a short-lived fitness podcast called Fit Mentality Podcast and being a judge on the Fit&Well Awards 2021. In his free time, he works out at home, runs, cycles and loves a good ol' walk around the city. He writes about general fitness stuff, fitness tech, workouts, workout gear/equipment, nutrition and much, much more.
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